Shen Feng: "..."
Shen Jing: "..."
Lin Mo: "..."
Lin Mo had mentally prepared herself for the possibility that her teacher might ask her to continue dancing.
But she never expected the question to be posed so grandly and formally!
All eyes in the room turned to Lin Mo.
Xu Yali’s most accomplished disciple?
Some long-buried memories began to resurface.
Xu Yali had once been renowned both domestically and internationally, having won the Lotus Award five times.
After retiring from the stage, she opened a dance studio and publicly took on disciples.
The selection process for her studio was already rigorous, but the disciples she personally chose were the cream of the crop.
She accepted only two female students.
At the time, numerous news outlets covered the story,
hailing them as the future shining stars of classical dance.
And they lived up to expectations.
One of them quickly mastered the solo piece "The Ballad of Mulan."
The performance in Jingnan was a resounding success,
and tickets for the Jingbei show sold out almost instantly.
At the time, this disciple was only fourteen years old!
But then, quite abruptly, she vanished—never to appear on stage again.
Many media outlets inquired about her disappearance.
Xu Yali simply stated that the disciple had withdrawn due to personal reasons.
This left countless classical dance enthusiasts deeply disappointed.
The other disciple, more skilled in graceful and alluring dance styles, became the one who frequently performed afterward.
Later, Xu Yali settled in Jingbei and founded the Jingbei Classical Dance Troupe, entering this disciple into competitions.
However, instead of accolades, the public learned of her withdrawal from the contest.
Xu Yali was once again thrust into the spotlight, left to face the backlash alone.
Major media outlets began criticizing her for poor judgment.
Envious peers seized the opportunity to attack Xu Yali,
claiming her teaching methods and interpersonal skills were flawed—dooming her to leave no legacy.
Some in Jingbei knew that Zhao Ziling was Xu Yali’s disciple,
and that she had stopped dancing after marrying into the Huo Family.
But few knew the story of the other disciple.
Was this her?
Wait—why did she look so young?
Shen Feng and Shen Jing were stunned.
Lin Mo was actually Xu Yali’s most accomplished disciple!
Gu Jingzhou’s eyes sparkled with admiration.
If Lin Mo was this extraordinary, how on earth had his brother, Gu Jingchuan, managed to win her over back then?
Zhao Ziling was also taken aback by Xu Yali’s sudden move.
Clearly, their teacher truly wanted Lin Mo to return to the stage.
Shen Yihan absentmindedly twisted the Buddhist beads around his right wrist, a rare smile touching his usually cold expression.
As expected of his sister!
When she committed to something, she gave it her all—striving to be among the very best.
He knew she had given up dancing for the sake of him and his brothers.
It was something he had always regretted.
She could have stood on the world’s grandest stages.
But she had simply said, "It’s fine. Wherever I am, that’s the grandest stage."
Huo Tingshen frowned.
This young woman was quite impressive.
He glanced at Xie Guanyan.
Could he really accept the woman he loved performing so publicly?
Xie Guanyan’s gaze was fixed on Lin Mo, his silver-framed glasses masking the concern in his eyes.
By posing the question so openly, Xu Yali was putting pressure on Lin Mo.
If she wanted to refuse, she might feel compelled to agree out of respect for her teacher.
Xu Yali shouldn’t have done this.
Under her teacher’s intense stare, Lin Mo stepped forward into the spotlight.
She had already given this serious thought last night.
Seeing her approach, Xu Yali felt an inexplicable tension.
She knew she was being unreasonable—she had done this deliberately.
She was willing to go to any lengths to get Lin Mo back on stage.
Years ago, when she had stubbornly pursued her artistic dreams against her family’s wishes—her parents pressuring her to marry and have children—
she had been struggling just to survive.
So when Lin Mo faced her own hardships, Xu Yali had been powerless to help, forced to watch her give up dance.
But things were different now.
Her younger brother, Xu Zunlong, was in charge of the Xu Family.
She could protect Lin Mo.
It was as if the heavens had granted her a second chance.
Gazing at her beloved disciple’s youthful face, Xu Yali spoke earnestly:
"Lin Mo, don’t feel pressured. I know you’re still in school, preparing for your college entrance exams. I won’t take up your time—just come when you’re free."
"You don’t have to perform until after your exams. I won’t ask anything more of you!"
Xu Yali—revered as the "Mother of Classical Dance," chairwoman of the Jingbei Classical Dance Troupe, and eldest daughter of the prestigious Xu Family of Jingnan—
was always poised and dignified.
Yet here she was, pleading almost humbly.
The entire room was stunned.
Xu Zunlong most of all.
He had never seen his sister like this.
But upon reflection, it wasn’t surprising.
His sister was a woman consumed by her passion for art.
She had even sacrificed something as significant as marriage for it.
His eyes returned to Lin Mo. He remembered her.
Back when his sister’s studio was still in Jingnan, he had visited once and seen Lin Mo there.
Even as a child, she had been exceptionally talented—bright and cheerful.
His son, Xu Yan, had been just two years old at the time, but after meeting her once, he’d constantly begged to see her again.
But something struck Xu Zunlong as odd.
Why did she still look so young?
Xu Yan was now eighteen, yet Lin Mo appeared to be the same age.
"Do you even remember this sister?" he whispered to Xu Yan beside him.
Dressed in a simple black T-shirt, Xu Yan replied calmly, "I remember."
Xu Zunlong nodded. "Of course—you’ve always had an exceptional memory."
After her teacher’s lengthy appeal, Lin Mo blinked her peach-blossom eyes.
"I’m willing, Teacher. But..."
At the first few words, Xu Yali’s heart leaped, her lips beginning to curve upward.
Then came the next two words.
Xu Yali’s breath hitched. "But what? Lin Mo, tell me—I’ll agree to anything!"
Shen Feng and Shen Jing’s hearts sank in unison.
Lin Mo was going to use this to retaliate against them!
Shen Jing couldn’t hold back. "Lin Mo! Don’t you dare go too far!" she shouted.
Startled by her stepdaughter’s outburst, Xu Yali turned to her. "What do you mean by that?"
Shen Feng, older and more experienced, tried to grab Shen Jing’s arm—but missed.
Shen Jing had already rushed to the center.
"Mom! Lin Mo has a grudge against me and Dad! You can’t just promise her anything!"
Xu Yali had been unaware of this. "Is this true?" she asked Lin Mo.
Lin Mo admitted openly, "Yes. Shen Feng is my uncle. After my parents passed away, he seized control of our family’s company and took my home."
Shen Feng quickly interjected, "Lin Mo, don’t twist things! I was only trying to protect the family assets—you were too young to manage them!"
Shen Jing added, "Exactly! My father had good intentions, and she even hit him!"
Xu Yali’s expression shifted slightly. "What is it you want to ask of me?" she pressed Lin Mo.
Lin Mo’s actual request had nothing to do with Shen Jing or Shen Feng.
She would never interfere with her teacher’s personal life.
But since Shen Jing had brought up the past, Lin Mo couldn’t resist asking:
"Teacher, what is it about Shen Feng that you love?"
